Therefore, Ray of the Sun
by Mini Nephthys
Summary: Another Holy Grail War, with familiar Dept. Heaven characters as participants.
1. Yellow: Loyalty

It took Ein a moment after his cell phone started to ring to notice it and pick it up. "Hello?"

"It's almost time." Hector's voice was curt, as usual. "You remember everything I've told you?"

"Oh, Master Hector. Of course I do," Ein answered, and started to recite. "Tonight I'm supposed to summon my Servant and start participating in the Holy Grail War, because as the overseer you're not allowed to join, and you can't afford to let the Grail fall into the wrong ha-"

Hector cut him off. "Are you saying all this in public? Did you forget that it was intended to be in secret?"

"No! Well, yes, but…" Ein looked around for a second. "I'm in the park from the last war. No one comes here anymore."

"…I see. Then that should impress upon you how imperative it is that you succeed," Hector told him. He didn't need to mention the disaster at the end of the last war; its remnants were still visible in the desolation of the park.

"You don't need to worry. I won't let you down," Ein assured him. "Although it's kind of a big responsibility, and maybe you should-"

Hector cleared his throat.

"-on second thought, I'll just go summon it now."


	2. Green: Christmas Lights

When the smoke from the summoning cleared, Cruz was left staring at his new Servant. "…no way. Don't tell me I summoned a kid?"

The kid glared at him. "I'm not a kid! I'm a Heroic Spirit!"

"But you look like you're five. Eight, tops," he pointed out.

"I'm fourteen, _idiot_! And what kind of moron insults their own Servant?!" she yelled. "I can't believe I'm stuck with such a dumb Master!"

"Yeah, well, get used to it. What kind of Servant are you anyway?" he asked.

She puffed out her chest. "I'm the Servant Rider, the famous Scarlet Princess Emilia!"

"Oh, yeah. You'd have to ride around on something if you wanted to be able to hit anybody - ow! Hey, stop that!"

"Only when you stop saying mean things about me, you jerk!"

"…This war's really gonna suck."


	3. Red: Courageous

Nessiah sipped his water thoughtfully.

Today was the day. The Grail War would be starting soon, and there was no time to waste in summoning a Servant. There was no advantage to be gained from waiting, except perhaps a slightly lessened strain on his mana supply, and he was confident that that wouldn't be an issue.

Also, it was the weekend. Strategically, it was the best time to summon a Servant because the people who would complain about seeing bright flashes of light from somewhere were all drunk anyway.

After he summoned his Servant, the Holy Grail would be practically within his grasp. That power would soon be his, and he would be able to enact his full retribution on that person-

"Hey, are you going to order anything?"

Nessiah started at the sound of the waitress' voice. "Just the water will be fine, thank you."

"Oh, okay. Hey, can I ask you something? What's with that weird face plate?"

He sighed mentally. Always this question. "It's fashionable in India." So far, no one had ever called him on claiming it was fashionable in Brazil while he was in India, and claiming it was fashionable in Ireland while he was in Brazil.

"Yeah, but how do you see out of that thing?"

"Seeing out of it has never been a pressing concern." Mostly because he could just use magic to see, but people usually made other assumptions.

"Oh! …Then, don't you need a seeing-eye dog or something?"

"I'm allergic," he replied. That part was technically a lie, but he'd just never been able to pretend he was actually paying attention to what the dog was doing.

"You know, my sister had a friend who knew someone who had a seeing-eye goat…"

Nessiah steeled himself for a long conversation. Why did he always look like he wanted to be talked to?


	4. Red: Dragon Tattoo

"_Yet, thou serves with thine eyes clouded in chaos. I am he who commands those chains_-"

Nessiah had decided long ago that when he joined this Grail War, his Servant could only be a Berserker. Another Servant could interfere with his intricate plans, but a Berserker with no mind and no purpose but to fight would never go against him. He had the mana to sustain it and the power to control it. If all went as planned-

"Are you my Master?"

…A Berserker that was lucid was not part of the plan.

Nessiah composed himself. It was not unheard of for a Berserker to occasionally be summoned without Mad Enhancement active, particularly if their more famous deeds were done while sane. He had a backup plan for this eventuality as well, and he could always drive him mad if necessary.

"I am the one who called you here to be my Servant," he answered, studying his Servant's features. It was hard to tell much about him while he wore that helmet, but a long mane of unruly red hair was clearly visible, and the heavy armor he wore bespoke of a strong warrior.

The Servant inclined his head. "Then I will serve you as a Berserker. I am the Emperor Gulcasa."

A descendant of the dragon Brongaa. Nessiah felt his lips curl up into a smile. "Then it will be a pleasure working with you, Gulcasa. My name is Nessiah Artwaltz."

Something in Gulcasa's gaze relaxed when he introduced himself. "The pleasure's all mine."


	5. Green: Footsteps

Cruz and Emilia were on a regular patrol (if 'regular' meant 'containing less actual patrolling than getting into arguments with each other') when they heard someone else approaching.

Sure enough, a couple seconds later another Master showed up, Servant in tow. Cruz sighed. Maybe now he'd be able to get his Servant to actually listen to him-

"Brother!" she squealed, and ran over to hug the enemy Servant.

Well, there went that idea.

He watched their reunion for a few moments ("Emilia?! What are you doing here?" "I'm a Servant! Don't tell me you didn't think I was good enough to be one!") before turning to the other Master. "Should we try to make them fight?"

The Master shrugged. "Ordering them to attack each other, or the Master supplying the other one with their mana, seems to be a command that they would refuse. It would require a Command Spell, most likely one from each of us. It seems to be a waste to spend two Command Spells just to have one battle. Besides, I'd rather not ruin my relationship with my Servant this early."

"Man, the Master of Berserker can get along with his Servant and I can't?" Cruz complained loudly. "Fine, I guess somebody else will kill you."

Berserker's Master nodded amiably. "I wish you the most painless death possible when you're killed soon."

"Yeah, same to you."


	6. Orange: Angel Fallen From Above

Serene knew, objectively speaking, that she wasn't good at most kinds of magic, and she was fine with that. Spells that didn't increase her battle prowess didn't hold any interest for her. She was good at what she did, and that was more than some magi could say.

The thing was, the ritual for summoning a Servant was supposed to be something that any magus could do, no matter what their element or affinity. It should have been just as accessible to a battle-oriented magus as an academic one. So why...

So why had her summoning ended with her Servant crashing through her workshop?!

"Oh my, I seem to have broken something... This happens to me all the time, I'm afraid." Despite her words, the Servant didn't seem at all upset.

The answer, it seemed, was not through any fault of her own magecraft, but because her new Servant was enough of a klutz to mess up being pulled from outside of space-time. Serene suddenly wished it had just been her inept spellcasting to blame. "...please tell me you're not any class that requires grace."

"Oh, no, of course not! I'm a Caster class," she explained cheerfully. "I usually just set the wrong things on fire, that's all. ...You shouldn't glare like that, Master, your face will freeze that way."


	7. Indigo: Elegance

_"-come past thy restraining rings, and be thou the hands that protect the balance-!"_

The Servant summoning ritual ended not with a bang, as Elena had expected, but with a whimper. The shadows in the room swirled for a moment, and a tall woman appeared. Her silver hair framed her face perfectly, and her dark clothing only enhanced her natural beauty.

"Master. Please respond."

With a start, Elena realized that she'd been asked a question, and was too distracted by her Servant's beauty to notice. "Ah, yes! You are the Servant I called!" she squeaked.

"I see." The Servant covered part of her face with a beautifully-painted mask. "I am Zilva, Servant of the Assassin class. At your command, Master."


	8. Yellow: Mythological Creatures

Master Hector, when he had provided Ein with the catalyst for his summoning, mentioned that it was the bow of a famous treasure hunter and monster slayer, who should be both an effective and difficult to recognize Archer class.

He had not mentioned that the treasure hunter was a girl shorter than he was.

"Are you really a Servant?" he asked innocently.

The girl huffed. "Of course Lina is! I know I'm young, but I'll show you how I never miss!"

"If you're going to stay anonymous, we need to work on the 'sometimes talking in third person' thing," Ein pointed out. "...Come on, you must be hungry. I know I am."

"Yay~ Food, food~"

Ein wondered if he had somehow acquired a little sister, rather than a legendary Servant.


	9. Blue: Overcompensation

Roswell thought for a moment, before deciding to breach the topic with his Servant. "Saber, your sword..."

"Hm?" Saber lifted it slightly. "What about the Holy Sword?"

"It's almost as tall as you are. Wouldn't that make it slightly difficult to wield?" asked Roswell.

She blinked. "Well... at first, it did."

"Then why is it so large, if it serves no purpose being that way?"

Saber huffed. "The Holy Sword was passed down in my family for generations, since the founding of my country- I can't just choose what size I want it to be!"

"Forget that I asked, then."


	10. Violet: Oral Fixation

"Lancer. Go out and acquire more magical energy. Take care not to be seen," Hector ordered.

"Of course, Master." The Lancer-class Servant - Malice was her name - disappeared.

With that done, he considered the Grail War as it was so far. All of the Servants had been summoned to their Masters, and there seemed to be nothing strange in the summoning. Ein had called to report that calling his Archer-class had gone smoothly.

Ein. A tool that believed Hector was doing his best to make sure that no one else was hurt in the war. He had no idea that not only did Hector have a Servant of his own, but he intended to win by any means necessary. Ein was useful, but disposable. In the worst case scenario, he could be counted upon to defend him from another Master.

Like the one with a vendetta against him, Nessiah. When last they parted, Hector was by far the more powerful of the pair. He was curious to see whether that had changed, but not so curious as to risk his life for it.

Hector sipped his coffee from the "World's Best Boss" mug Lancer had found for him while draining a shopkeeper of mana. There were many benefits that came with having a loyal Servant, and he intended to make strategic use of every one.


	11. Red: To Save A Soul

Nessiah's doorbell rang.

Gulcasa hesitated. Nessiah was in the shower, and he had been guarding the bathroom door. The person at the front entrance could be a Master or Servant... or a normal person with some business with his Master.

Coming to a decision, Gulcasa opened the front door after the second ring of the doorbell.

Two young boys in well-ironed clothes stood there, carrying pamphlets. Their eyes went wide, and Gulcasa realized that they were frightened of his imposing, armor-clad visage.

One boy thrust out a pamphlet nervously. "Have you found our lord Jesus?" he asked.

Gulcasa blinked. "Um. No."

The other boy swallowed. "Jesus, the only son of God, died so that our sins could be paid for."

"What is all this hubbub?" Nessiah appeared behind Gulcasa, wearing a half-open bathrobe.

Gulcasa turned to him. "Master, I don't know how to deal with this."

"Th-that's all right, we'll leave our pamphlets here for you and your boyfriend!" one boy squeaked. The pair dropped their things and ran.

Nessiah chuckled. "Now you've traumatized them with our homosexual BDSM relationship. I suppose they deserve it for being Mormon missionaries in Japan."

"Is that what they were? One good thing came out of their visit, however." Gulcasa grinned. "This is the first time I've seen you _really _smile."

Nessiah flushed. "...well, in the future, in front of normals, you should always call me Nessiah."

"Understood, Nessiah."


	12. Blue: Starry Nights

"Why are we here, again?" Yggdra asked.

"We are doing reconnaissance," Roswell explained gently. "Since this is a large group of people, and it's the middle of the night, it's a prime target for unscrupulous Masters. We are here to protect them, if necessary."

A handsome man approached them. "Excuse me, miss, but may I trouble you for a dance?"

Yggdra blushed. "I... I have to stay with my date." That was a good enough excuse for why she was guarding her Master constantly.

"Oh.... it's a shame that a beautiful woman like you isn't out there dancing," the man commented.

Roswell raised an eyebrow. "Then I will rectify that. Yggdra, would you like to dance?"

Yggdra's blush deepened as she took his arm. "Gladly."


	13. Indigo: Look Over Your Shoulder

Elena's back hit the wall of the nearby building, Lancer's weapon against her throat. Zilva threw herself bodily at Lancer to keep her away, and Elena had some time to breathe and think.

This was bad. This was very bad. Assassins didn't do well when they were the ones ambushed, not the other way around. And bows were almost useless in close combat. If only they had more distance, they could put up a fight. As it was, Zilva would probably die, and she would be next.

At least the innocent people she'd been attacking had gotten away...

An arrow hit Lancer in the back of the neck. It wasn't one of Zilva's.

"You went after the Master when she didn't do anything to you!" Archer and her Master appeared, one drawing another arrow and one shouting. "That's dishonorable, and I will stop you!"

Lancer scowled. "I don't like the odds of four against one. I'm leaving."

Before anyone could stop her, she disappeared.

"Are you alright?" Archer's Master ran towards Elena. "You look pretty beaten up."

Elena took in a breath. "Thank you. For saving us. You didn't have to do that."

The Master of Archer shrugged. "It was nothing. Besides, that Servant is a bad one, isn't she?"

She nodded. "She was trying to get energy from innocents when we found her."

"No..."


	14. Indigo: Suspicious Behavior

"Allow me to dress your wounds, Master."

Elena was silent as Zilva treated her many injuries. Only when she was finished did she speak. "Zilva... thank you for saving me from Lancer."

Zilva raised an elegant eyebrow. "You are my Master. Your safety comes before all else."

"But still... if Archer and her Master hadn't appeared when they did, you would have been killed. So, thank you," Elena answered, taking Zilva's hand. "I truly do appreciate it."

Zilva blinked, and looked away. "It is... good to be appreciated. I suppose."

Elena knew there was something else there, but she didn't feel like asking. Not until Zilva was ready for it.


	15. Green: Blowing Bubbles

"You look dumb," Cruz commented, flicking some hair out of his eyes.

Emilia huffed. "How rude! I do not look dumb!"

"You do so," he answered. "That bonnet makes you look even younger than you already are. Our opponents won't take us seriously if you keep wearing that - take it off." He reached for it.

Emilia dodged backwards and shouted, "No!"

The pair tussled for a few minutes, with Cruz almost but never quite catching the offending article of clothing. When he was out of breath, he asked, "Why's it so important to you anyway?"

"My brother gave it to me," she replied. "We were poor and we couldn't afford much at the time, but he still gave it to me."

Cruz blinked. "...sorry."


	16. Orange: Fallen Leaves

"We really need to stop being ambushed, Assassin," the Master of Assassin grumbled, just loudly enough so that Serene could hear it.

Cierra sent out wave after wave of magical fire bursts, which Assassin shot down with her bow. They seemed to be at an impasse, neither one gaining an advantage.

A blast of fire came too close for comfort to Assassin's Master, who jumped. "D-don't hit me with those things!" she squeaked.

"Woops, I must have been a little clumsy there," Cierra answered apologetically.

Serene buried her face in her hands. "We're supposed to be trying to kill them..."


	17. Orange: Sunset

Cierra winced as she picked arrowheads out of her skin. "Ow..."

"It's your own fault for getting shot so many times," Serene grumbled, helping her out. "You're lucky they didn't hit anything vital."

"Can't you heal me, Master?" the Servant asked, tilting her head a little. "You are a magus, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm a magus. I just choose not to cast that kind of spell!" Serene huffed, not willing to admit that she never was any good at non-combat related magecraft. "Anyway, stop calling me 'Master'. It makes me feel weird. 'Serene' is perfectly fine.

"As you wish~"


	18. Indigo: TieDye

Elena turned on the cold water faucet over the burn on Zilva's arm. "You were hurt again protecting me. I'm sorry."

"As I have told you, Master, that is my duty as a Servant. I have no other purpose but to serve as your sword and your shield," Zilva answered calmly.

"But if I were a more powerful Master, I could end our battles before you were injured," Elena replied.

Zilva almost smiled. "Power and ease of victory have little to do with each other. Within our resources, I believe you have conducted our battles well so far."

"...What, really?"


	19. Yellow: Beyond The Horizon

"What are you thinking about?" Lina asked, sitting on a kitchen chair.

Ein sighed and leaned against the counter. "It's that Servant we met attacking those two girls, the one who'd gone after uninvolved people before that- Lancer, I'm pretty sure."

She nodded. "It could've been bad if we'd had to fight her. Assassin and her Master looked pretty beat."

"I don't even think going after a Master is really a good thing. A Servant will just go back to the Throne when they're killed, but for a Master, that's it. And they don't have to be killed to win. But attacking innocent people?" He shook his head. "Even if they're just looking for the power to win, that's unacceptable. I can't stand by and let them or their Master use tactics like that."

"So what're we doing? We're just going after Lancer now?" she asked.

"Yeah. The Grail War is important and we're going to win, but right now keeping the people of the town safe is more of a priority." Ein paused as he considered. "...We should probably tell Master Hector about this."


	20. Violet: Stranger

"Master Hector-" Ein's voice shattered the stillness of Hector's retreat. The senior mage looked up. "It's about Lancer."

Hector showed no surprise. "What about them?"

"She's been attacking innocent people, besides Masters and Servants. We can't let that kind of thing continue," Ein declared. "I'm going to stop her first."

"Your orders were to participate in the war to the best of your ability," Hector commented.

Ein nodded. "I know that, but the whole point of winning the war is to stop people from getting hurt by it, isn't it? I'll battle properly once I know that the city is safe."

After a pause, Hector sighed. "Very well. Act as you see fit."

"Thank you, Master Hector." Ein turned and headed back out of the room.

Once he was out of sight and earshot, Lancer appeared. "Should I be worried?"

"About Ein?" Hector chuckled. "Of course not. It is unfortunate that he has set his sights on you rather than on any of our enemies, but he and his Archer pose little threat to you. In time, he may think better of his decision. Or we'll have to kill him."


	21. Orange: New World

"What does this have to do with the Grail War?" Serene asked, knowing that the music was too loud for anyone but Cierra to hear her.

Cierra took another gulp of her drink before answering. "Absolutely nothing!"

Serene sighed and sipped her own drink. "Then why did you drag me here?"

"It sounded like fun." Cierra's grin was bright. "Isn't the music fantastic?"

"...Yeah, the DJ's pretty good." Reluctantly, Serene started dancing along.

"That's the spirit~ You'll start enjoying yourself soon." Cierra finished off her drink. "Master, may I borrow some money?"

Serene dug out her wallet. "How many drinks are you planning to have tonight, anyway?"

"Er..." Cierra thought for a moment. "Four...?"

Serene stuffed her wallet back in her pocket. "Stick to dancing."


	22. Green: Fairies

"This is a really stupid question," Cruz began.

Emilia blinked at him, continuing to walk tonight's patrol route. "You mean like the rest of your questions?"

He glared at her briefly before looking forward again. "How old are you?"

"I'm fourteen, Master. I told you that in the first argument we got into." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah, I know that's how old you were when you died. But you've been in the Throne of Heroes for ages afterwards. That must make you way older than that, right?" he asked.

"Time doesn't really pass in the Throne like that. I don't remember sitting around for hundreds of years getting older, I just know the stuff about the Holy Grail War. So I'm pretty much still fourteen." She paused. "How old are you?"

He took in a breath. "Twenty-two." As she laughed, he snapped, "It's not funny!" That just made her laugh harder. "Geeze..."


	23. Green: Don't Fail Me Now

For what seemed the hundredth time, Emilia and her griffon swooped down. As soon as they did so, Lancer stabbed upward with her lance, wounding the beast slightly and preventing them from going any further before they could reach her themselves unless they wanted to be impaled.

This was bad. If Rider had brought out her Noble Phantasm and was unable to use it properly even without Lancer activating hers, then they were definitely outmatched in this fight.

All of a sudden, Emilia swerved towards Cruz's hiding spot in a nearby patch of reeds. With a Servant's strength, she hoisted him up onto the back of her griffon. "Hold on tight, Master." The griffon sped off over the river.

"What are we doing?" Cruz asked, clinging for dear life.

"Running away!" she answered. "Duh!"

"No, I mean why are we going over a lake when I don't know how to ride a griffon at all?" he clarified.

"Because Lancer can probably jump on buildings, and if I went high enough that she couldn't reach it would be ireally/i bad if you fell!" she explained, still steering them over the water. "Falling over water's easy!"

"I hope I don't have to find out if you're right..."


	24. Blue: Blueberries

"Master..." Yggdra's voice trailed off.

"As I've said, 'Roswell' is fine when we're in private." Roswell smiled at her, still wiping off the last of the dishes. "What is it?"

"I was wondering what your life was like, before this." She smiled back hesitantly. "I'm just curious."

"I'm sure it's natural to be curious about your Master." After loading the plate into the dishwasher and starting it, he sat down at the kitchen table. "Let's see, my life... I was born into a long line of magi. The Branthèse house has been respected for many years, and wealthy for as many. I had a private education and a comfortable inheritance."

"It sounds like a good life," she commented.

"It was. The only trouble was, the Branthèse house has a feud with the line of Esmeralda. The current heir, Rosary, has tried to kill me many times, dating back to when we were... seven, I think," Roswell continued. "Of course, I tried to kill her just as often."

Her eyes went wide. "But that's terrible!"

"It's what I was raised with," he answered mildly. "I've always had the specter of Rosary looming over my head, in all of my studies and lessons. I haven't lived any other kind of life."

Yggdra sighed. "It's amazing that you turned out as well as you did, Master."

"Roswell," he corrected.

She smiled slightly. "Roswell."


	25. Green: Organic

With a small sigh, Cruz tightened the bandage around Emilia's leg. "This and the bit of magical healing I can do should take care of it. You'll be fully healed in a day or two."

She also sighed, and plopped down on his couch declaring, "That fight stunk."

"You're telling me." He sat next to her. "You sure you're okay? Lancer beat up on you a lot before you got into the air."

"I'm fiiine." She clicked on the television to a sports channel. "Ooh, my favorite team!"

"You've only been here a few days and you already have a favorite team?" he wondered. "How much have you been watching my TV? ...Anyway, that's not important right now. Are you sure-"

Emilia threw a couch cushion at his face. "What's with the paranoia today?"

Grumbling, he tossed the cushion aside. "...You're not that bad. When you get hurt, it's annoying to me. That's all."

She blinked, before smiling warmly. "You're not that bad either, Master."


	26. Orange: Happily Ever After

"Serene?" Cierra asked. "Why did you summon me?"

Serene blinked. "Well, I didn't have a catalyst to call anybody else, so-"

"No, that isn't it. Why are you participating in the Holy Grail War?" Cierra interrupted.

"Ohhh." Serene thought for a moment, flopping backwards on her bed. "You might've figured out that I'm not a typical mage. I like getting up-close and personal. Besides that, I don't come from a great, long line of magi. In other words, in other magi's eyes, I'm nothing."

Cierra nodded sympathetically.

"I wanna be respected. Be _somebody_," Serene continued. "If I win the Holy Grail War, they'll have to sit up and pay attention." A small smile. "And I've gotta win so my Servant can get her wish too."


	27. Indigo: Immortality

"Zilva..." Elena began shyly as the pair made dinner. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Anything," Zilva replied.

"What was your past like?" she inquired.

Zilva paused. "I was raised since birth by a holy order of assassins. They taught me from the very beginning that my only purpose as a being was to serve the order's will. I was a skilled assassin for many years. When I began to fail too many assignments, I was removed from the order and forced to flee. ...No, more importantly, I was forced to find a new reason for existence."

Elena listened attentively. "Did you find one?"

"Yes. I am my own person. I had the right to exist just by being myself," Zilva declared firmly.

"Being a Servant must chafe, then..." Elena murmured, looking away.

Zilva stared blankly at her. "What do you mean?"

"You spent so much of your life being used as a tool. You finally managed to become your own person - and now you're a tool again." Elena sighed. "I'm sorry."

Hesitantly, Zilva laid a hand on her shoulder. "Master, have you for a moment ever considered me a tool?"

Elena blinked, reddening slightly at the touch. "...Not really?"

"You praise me when I do well and show concern when I am injured. These are things I would never have expected in the order I was raised in," Zilva explained. "You call me by name, when you have no need to. ...You make me feel like a person, Master."

Elena heard herself saying, "Elena. Elena is fine."

Zilva smiled, brighter than she had seen on her before. "As you wish. Elena."


	28. Violet: Reflection

_I am that person who is to become the virtue of all Heavens._

_I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades._

Hector remembered the summoning ritual clearly: the circle drawn underneath his workshop, the blood rushing through his veins, and the sudden chill at the end, just before his Servant appeared.

He regarded her silently, taking in the blue lance she held in both hands. He had hoped, summoning this early, to be able to obtain Saber, but Lancer was a sufficient substitute.

"I am your Master, the one who called you here. Obey me without question."

Lancer seemed to accept that easily. "Yes, Master."


	29. Green: Broken Promises

Axe clashed against scythe yet again, and Emilia was forced backwards. Her mount had been sniped by Caster already, and was in no condition to fly. Caster's Master was advancing on her, and her magically-enhanced combat skills were proving to be a match for her.

Another push backwards, and Emilia's back met the wall of a building. She didn't have much time to complain about being maneuvered that way before she felt a deep slice in her stomach.

"R-Rider!" There was her Master, eyes wide, voice frantic. It must have been a really ugly wound.

The other Master raised the scythe to Emilia's neck. "One whiff of healing magic outta you and I cut the goodbyes short," she ordered.

"Sorry," Emilia wheezed, trying to hold in the blood coming out. It didn't seem to be working. "I guess I wasn't good enough."

"No way. You were great." He looked agitatedly between her and the other Master and the scythe. "I'm realizing really quickly that I should have appreciated you more while I had the chance."

"That's really cliché..." Dizziness threatened to overtake her, but she held on a little longer. "Don't feel bad about this, 'kay?"

After a moment, he answered, "...Yeah. Okay."

"Good!" And with that, she was gone.


	30. Orange: Harvest

Rider's Master swallowed right after he watched Rider's body fade away. Then he turned his glare on Serene. "What are you going to do now, huh? I won't go down without a fight, even without Emilia."

Serene looked back at Cierra, who looked at her and shrugged. "You're on your own for this one, Master."

She turned back to the Master who was brimming with prana without a scratch on him. He'd thrown a few spells at Cierra, but her resistance was too high, and he didn't have the precision to help with Serene and Emilia's fight. He was mostly fresh and ready to fight, in other words.

On the other hand, Cierra also hadn't partaken much in the fighting, and she and Serene could take him down. Fighting Emilia had worn her down, but not to the point where she and a fully-charged Servant couldn't defeat one mage.

"Actually, I figured I'd just leave you alone," Serene answered, lowering her scythe. "Come on, Caster."

"That's it?" He gaped. "I'm a Master! I could find another Servant and come back and get you!"

"Yeah, you could. But I can't stop you from doing that unless I kill you, and I don't want to kill you for something that probably won't happen. Really, I don't want to kill you at all." She sighed. "We can fight if you really want, or we can all go home and watch TV or whatever else we wanted to do tonight."

He opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Closed it and, checking over his shoulder every few seconds to make sure they weren't coming after him, left the street that had been their battleground.

"It's wonderful when these things work out, isn't it?" Cierra asked.

Serene let herself smile. "Let's just go home."


	31. Violet: Damned If You Do

"Lancer." Hector's command was quiet.

Lancer appeared before him, bowing her head. "Yes, Master," she responded.

"The first Servant, Rider, has been eliminated. Their Master was spared by the opponent, and he continues to remain a potential danger to us, if a very small one. When dealing with any Master in the future..." He paused, mostly for effect. "Remove them as you would another Servant, no matter if they possess one or not."

Her answer was only a bit hesitant. "...As you wish," she replied.

"Do you feel that it is unnecessary?" he asked. "Cruel?"

Her eyes went wide. "I would never question my Master's judgment on the matter."

"Excellent."


	32. Blue: Stubble

Caster blinked as the dust from her last spell cleared. "Okay, did that one work?"

Yggdra picked some ash out of her hair. "Not more than the first ones."

"I don't have very much that's better than that." Caster turned and looked helplessly at her Master. "She's all yours."

"Thanks." The Master raised her scythe and stepped toward Yggdra and Roswell.

Yggdra blinked. "I would rather fight Caster in a fair fight than attack a human, so-"

"Too bad." Caster's Master grinned. "'Cause if you can even think about Caster when I'm fighting you, I must be doing something wrong."


	33. Orange: Nail Polish

"Ow ow ow ow, it stings..."

"Don't be such a wimp, it's just some antibacterial cream."

"Serene, I don't think I can get sick, why do I even need - ow!"

"It's not even that bad of a wound. Which is surprising, since Saber seemed dead set on fighting you instead of me. Wonder why."

"I think she thought that she was so much stronger than you that it wouldn't be fair."

"That jerk...! I'm a perfectly good fighter, I don't care if she's a Servant, I can take her on!"

"D-don't wrap it so tightly, please?"

"Oh. Right. Sorry."


	34. Yellow: Bananas

The target was made with care, though not with experience. On the bag filled with straw hung from a tree, a simplistic drawing of a human could be seen. Vital areas were pointed out.

Lina narrowed her eyes and nocked her arrow.

On the sidelines, Ein watched as the first arrow was let loose. Shot to the heart. Unpleasant to get, to say the least.

The second arrow landed in an eye. He winced.

The third shot struck... He squinted. The solar plexus. Also extremely painful.

When Lina acted like a young girl, it was hard to remember that she was still easily capable of killing any normal human being.

She frowned. "Lina hit what she aimed for, but it was too close to the edge." She tried again. "Better!"

Ein was very grateful to have her on his side.


	35. Blue: Pirates

"I underestimated her," Yggdra said with a sigh. "Most Masters aren't capable of standing against a Servant in direct combat."

Roswell nodded. "I presume that she had magical assistance from her Caster-class."

"It's hard to deal with scythes. I never liked fighting them," she complained.

"Then next time, leave her alone. I'll deal with her myself." His voice was firm.

"Really?"

"Of course. As a mage I am easily her match, if not her better. The next time we meet, I'll rain down destruction before she even has a chance to lift her weapon," Roswell answered, sounding smug. "You can simply sit back and watch."


	36. Indigo: Wings

Zilva was the picture of grace and beauty as she practiced with her claw. She leapt into the air while naturally swiping at an unseen foe.

Meanwhile, Elena stared.

"...Elena." Zilva stopped what she was doing and approached her Master.

Elena immediately backed away. "Was I distracting you? I-I'm sorry, I can go back inside if you wish-"

"You were not distracting me," Zilva answered. "However, it is getting late. You should retire for the evening."

"O-of course, but..." Elena took in a breath. "I can't get to sleep without you there."

Zilva looked confused. "You have done so for many years now. It should still be possible even after meeting me."

Elena reddened a little as she confessed, "Your presence is comforting. I miss having it with me when I try to sleep alone."

After a pause, Zilva replied, "I see. Then, if I wish to ensure that you rest, I will have to join you."

"I apologize. I can wait for you to finish your practice-"

Zilva took her hand and, gently but firmly, led her inside and to their bedroom. "Rest now. I will watch over you."


	37. Orange: Never Was, Never Will Be

Fire burst and burst again near Lancer, and she winced and hissed as she approached Cierra. The Caster-class Servant backed away as fast as she could while still slinging spells at her opponent. With every step, Lancer gained a bit of ground.

Serene laid on the roadside, panting. Lancer had overpowered her, and she was lucky to still be alive. Cierra had distracted her long enough for Serene to move out of harm's way, but that also meant that she was powerless to help or stop-

Cierra's scream made her shudder. Lancer had made up the distance between them and pierced through her skin, pushing deep through the flesh. When the lance was pulled out, Cierra swayed, then fell backwards, still weakly forming the words to spells.

Lancer would have none of that. She stabbed her again, and this time, Cierra went still and silent.


	38. Orange: Oranges

Serene watched her Servant fade away with no small amount of horror. This wasn't just a Caster-class Heroic Spirit, this was Iher/i Caster, the one she had argued with, danced with, and just talked with whenever she had a spare moment. And now she was gone.

Lancer turned her gaze on her, smirking slightly. Serene struggled to her feet, knowing that she was next and didn't have the strength to defeat a Servant in her state. She dashed as fast as she could, hearing the approaching footsteps grow closer and closer.

A flash of bright yellow caught her eye, shortly before the footsteps stopped. She didn't take the time to look for whoever had saved her and how - she just ran until her legs gave out, and by that time the sounds of battle could no longer be heard.


	39. Violet: Grapes

Hector rested his chin on his fist and thought about the night's events.

Lancer had eliminated the Caster-class Servant, but not her Master. She had been confronted by Archer and her Master, his representative Ein. Hector had instructed her not to hold back because of their servitude to him - she was a far more important tool. Unfortunately, she had been unable to defeat either of them.

He considered. Would Archer be of more use in the larger picture than Lancer? ...No, not likely. Lancer had given him above-par results in the past, and even tonight's venture could be considered a success, if a limited one. Besides, having to work through Ein limited any Servant's effectiveness.

No, Lancer was a better playing piece than any of the others on the board, and she was completely under his control. He would sacrifice her in an instant to save himself, but it would be unfortunate to not have continued use of her.


	40. Yellow: Treasure Chest

"So for dinner we're having a fruit salad, with lots of banangos and applecots. Does that sound good to you?" Ein asked.

"It's perfect!" Lina bounced a little in her seat.

He smiled. "Great. Then afterwards, I thought we'd have some ice cream. Would you rather have vanilla or chocolate?"

She looked askance at him. "What's ice cream? It doesn't sound very good..."

"Oh, I forgot that you didn't have it when you were alive. Don't worry, it's not literally icy cream, there's milk in it and it's soft. I'll show you." He pulled a couple of cartons of ice cream out of the freezer, found a bowl, and scooped a little of each flavor into it. After he put a spoon in the bowl, he pushed it towards her and said, "Try some."

Lina took a bite of the vanilla part. Her eyes lit up, and she started scooping more into her mouth rapidly.

"H-hey, don't eat so fast, you'll get-"

"Owww..."

"-brain freeze."


	41. Red: Sweat Out The Fever

They were shopping out for various necessities, Nessiah and Gulcasa. The former seemed uninterested in the expedition, so Gulcasa had to do most of the selecting. "Is this all right?" he asked, indicating a plainclothes outfit that he was relatively certain would fit his frame.

"You can buy it if you wish. It will certainly fit in better than your armor if the need should arise." Nessiah's attention drifted elsewhere even as he picked the clothes off the rack. "Will that be all?"

"Yeah, I think that's everything. We can stop at the bookstore on the way back home," Gulcasa replied, enjoying the way Nessiah's face lit up at the prospect.

On their way to the cash register, they passed an electronics section, which naturally had a wall full of televisions playing the same thing. On the screen, a lion tamer cracked his whip.

Nessiah hadn't been looking in that direction, but the moment he heard the sound his demeanor changed instantly. He tensed and curled in on himself to make himself as small as he could while still standing. His whole body began to shake.

Bewildered as he was by the reaction, Gulcasa knew he had to be firm. "Nessiah. Step into the changing room for a second."

Nessiah hesitated for only a moment before following the command.

As soon as the changing room door was shut behind them, Gulcasa materialized his body and held Nessiah as close as his armor would allow, stroking his hair soothingly. "Everything is fine. I won't let anything hurt you. I promise."

He shuddered, but eventually Nessiah went still and took a step away from his Servant. "That was merely an - it was only a - you weren't supposed to see that." He took in a few, mostly steady breaths. "Thank you."


	42. Indigo: Ballroom Dancing

Elena fidgeted nervously.

Beside her, Zilva checked her bow for wear and tear. Noticing the uneasy silence, she asked, "Is something wrong, Elena?"

Elena's eyes went wide. "No, nothing is wrong! I only, there is something I want to say..." She trailed off.

Zilva put the bow away and turned to Elena. "You have my full attention."

"I was afraid I might." Elena took in a breath. "I'm in l... I have a cr... I l... This doesn't seem to be working, does it." Leaning up and pushing Zilva's mask aside, Elena kissed her.

Zilva stiffened for a moment, before hesitantly returning the kiss. Her relative inexperience was obvious, and Elena tried not to rush her. She pulled away after a few seconds, staring down at her Master. "Why...?"

"I trust you, you're beautiful, and you make me happy. Are there any other reasons?" Elena asked.

Zilva shook her head. "...Romantic experience is not required to be an Assassin. I am relying on you in this."

"I know. I will do my best to teach you." Elena leaned in close enough that their scarves brush. "We don't need to start our patrol right away. Where do you wish to start?"

The Servant considered for a moment. "...I enjoyed kissing you. More of that?"

"Of course."


	43. Indigo: Mixed Drinks

Both faster than a human ever could dream of, the two Servants clashed. Saber's sword crashed against Zilva's claw, pressing downward before Zilva could push it away.

"...It can't be helped," Zilva murmured, just loud enough that Elena, behind her, could hear her. "I'll have to use my Noble Phantasm." As she spoke, her aura changed to give her a red glow.

Saber noticed the change. "Come near me and I'll kill you!" Her sword also began to shine.

"Carnage Claw-"

"Gran Centurio-"

As Zilva dashed towards Saber, a beam of light shot out at her from the swing of Saber's sword. Zilva didn't stop, but took a good swipe at her before shooting her in the back when she was far enough away.

For a moment, everything was still. Then, both Servants collapsed.

Heedless of the danger, Elena ran past the fallen Saber to kneel by Zilva's side. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Saber's Master had done the same for her. "Assassin, can you stand?"

"...I do not believe so." There was pain in Zilva's voice. "Forgive me."

"No, no, there's nothing to forgive," Elena answered hastily. "You'll be all right if I can get you home, won't you?"

"The damage is much more than it appears from the outside," Zilva told her, mostly calm. "You should know this as a mage."

"Y-yes." Elena held her closely, tightening her hold when no wounds seemed to be aggravated. "Is there any way I can save you-?"

"None that I know of." Zilva swallowed, already beginning to fade. "I regret only that I did not have more time with you. In comparison, winning the war was almost irrelevant. I could not have asked for a better Master."

"I don't wish for any other Servant but you." So please don't go, Elena didn't say.

Zilva smiled, just before her body disappeared completely.


	44. Blue: Sake Of Love

"How are your injuries?" Roswell asked, brushing some of the dirt off of the bottom of Yggdra's dress. Some blood stuck to his hands in the process.

Shakily, she rose to her feet. "I should be able to fully recover with enough rest if my wounds are treated. Assassin came out worse than I did." She glanced behind them. "What will we do about her Master?"

"Leave her," he answered. "She isn't a threat to you with your Magic Resistance, and I'm confident in my own abilities. Besides, we should see you home as soon as possible. Thankfully it isn't far. ...After you. I want to be between you and her if she does attack."

Yggdra hid her smile from him as she began to walk. "It's my duty as a Servant to protect you."

"You are injured, I am not," he retorted, following her. "Please, Saber, stay out of harm's way for a while. If something were to happen to you, it would be difficult for me to recover from."

"As you wish, Roswell."


	45. Green: Apples

"Why are you in my house?" the Master asked. To Saber, who was hovering behind him, he said, "Go and treat your wounds, I can handle this myself."

After a tense moment, Saber nodded and left for the living room.

Her Master turned back to him. "So. Why are you here?"

Cruz began, "It's a long story, really... You know Lancer?"

The other Master shook his head.

"Oh. This would've been a lot more convincing of a reason if you did. Blond woman, doesn't fight with her Master around, goes after other Masters?" he tried again.

"We haven't encountered her."

"Anyway, she knows where I live." At the Master's raised eyebrow, Cruz said, "No, really. She was on my street when I tried to go home after shopping too late today." He gestured to the shopping bags left on the dining room table behind him. "Naturally I turned the heck around and got out of there, but that leaves me with nowhere to sleep. I couldn't explain this to any normal person, but this felt like a workshop, and I thought you would understand, so I came here. Name's Cruz."

"Roswell Branthèse," Saber's Master answered. "...How do I know your presence here isn't going to draw Lancer to my home?"

Cruz opened his mouth and closed it again. "I'll help you fight her off?" he offered weakly.

Roswell sighed. "Very well. I suppose nothing prevents me from being in your position one day, so I should be charitable and allow you to spend the night. But only one night."

"Great, thanks so much! Coincidentally, I brought popcorn and _Sherlock Holmes_." Cruz grinned a little.

Roswell answered flatly, "I prefer to ignore anything but Conan Doyle's original books, thank you."

Cruz rummaged through a bag. "_Gossip Girl?"_

"...are you even trying?"


	46. Violet: Time To Spare

Malice waited for night to fall. In her Master's home, there was very little to entertain herself with besides books, and she had never been much of a reader.

Instead, she leaned against a wall. Elsewhere in the house, Master Hector was working, analyzing the way the War turned and how it could be used to their advantage. Occasionally he would call her upstairs to give her more instructions.

Master Hector was powerful in divination spells, and he could watch almost anything that went on in the city. He would tell her about unusual attacks the Servants employed, the powers of their weapons, and the capabilities of their Masters.

He relied on her to win the Grail War, and she would do so. Serving him was the only thing that gave her existence any meaning. She wouldn't lose. Not this.


	47. Red: Fool For Love

"What did you say, again?" Nessiah asked, turning his attention away finally from the book he was reading.

"Would you go out to eat with me?" Gulcasa asked, already dressed in casual clothing.

"In a short period, you've grown accustomed to this time. First dressing like that, next inviting someone to a restaurant." Nessiah smirked. "Since you invited me, you'll pay, of course?"

"Of c- oh." Gulcasa looked sheepish.

Nessiah giggled. "That's fine. I can afford to cover the two of us. Did you have a place in mind?"

Gulcasa didn't. "Which ones do you like?"

"A good question." Nessiah thought for a moment. "I can think of none that stand out to me."

"...Okay, then." Gulcasa sighed. "We'll go to the one that's right by the bookstore and you can buy something while we're there."

A bright smile. "I would like that."

"You don't like anything but books, do you? Not even food..." Gulcasa muttered. "It's getting around dinnertime, we should probably leave soon-"

"Oh, one more thing, Gulcasa. Is this an attempt to ask me on a date?"

Gulcasa froze, unsure of the right answer. Nessiah might react badly to one response or see through another. In the end, he chose honesty. "...Yes."

Nessiah smiled again. "Shall we?"


	48. Blue: Whispers In The Night

The three of them were all worn out and bleeding: Lancer, skidding to a halt on the grass; Yggdra, holding her sword arm steady, though the rest of her was shaking; Roswell, out of energy, watching the proceedings.

"You're tough to defeat." Lancer sounded irritated. "But this shall end it. Skadi!" Her lance crackled with power, and she flew forward.

"Gran-" Before she could get the name out, Yggdra had to focus on knocking the lance away with her sword. That sent volts of energy through her, and as she shivered, Lancer found the opening in her defense and stabbed forward.

The wound was deep; it was one too many. Yggdra fell to her knees, trying to hold herself up by her sword. "Master-" she cried out.

"I'm here," he answered.

Whatever she had been planning to say, it went unsaid. After a few spasms, her body began to vanish.


	49. Violet: Flights Of Fancy

After Yggdra's body finished disappearing, Malice turned to Roswell. Both of them were injured, but Malice's overall strength was high enough that she expected to be able to dispatch an equally wounded magus. She raised her lance.

"HEY, ASSHOLE!"

Startled, Malice turned around.

Serene was running up behind her, brandishing her scythe. She stopped. "Did you think I wouldn't want round two just because Caster's gone? Bring it."

Malice considered. She was injured, Serene was not. Also factoring in was Roswell, who she could faintly hear chanting a spell to assist the other Master.

"I'd rather not," she answered finally, and zoomed off faster than either of them could follow.


	50. Violet: Books

Malice patrolled the streets. When she had arrived back at Master Hector's home, discreetly of course, he had healed up her wounds to an extent and instructed her to go back outside and try to accomplish something else before the night was out.

She turned a corner, and smirked. Cruz was partway down the street, probably headed toward his home. He swiveled at the noise, and groaned. "Why do I keep going out...?"

Malice chased him to the other end of the road. She could have caught up if she'd used her full speed, but she didn't want to aggravate her remaining injuries. After he dashed around a corner, she ran after him-

-right into Gulcasa.

She backed away, watching Cruz cower behind Nessiah. "An alliance...?"

"Just passing through," Nessiah answered. He giggled. "You're the Lancer I've heard so much about? Attacking civilians, attacking lone Masters, and always battling alone?"

"I'm Lancer," she answered, drawing her lance protectively in front of her. "Why does it matter?"

"Your Master wouldn't happen to be... Hector, would he?" he asked.

Malice snarled. "You have no right to speak that name!"

"On the contrary. I have more right than anyone to do as I please to that man." He glanced at Gulcasa, who brandished his scythe. "In that case, I'm afraid you have to die."

She took a moment to think about it. She was still partly injured, the Berserker-class Servant was not. He also had two magi for support, and was using a scythe. She really didn't like fighting scythes.

"I hate having to do this twice in one night, but-" Malice ran. Distantly, she heard the footsteps of another Servant following her.


	51. Blue: Welcome Home

"This is not how I predicted our next meeting would go," Roswell commented.

The former Master of Caster scowled. "Guys are always so ungrateful about being rescued. A thank you would be nice."

"You are completely right." He sighed. "Thank you very much."

"You're welcome." Her expression brightened. "I'm Serene."

"Roswell," he replied. "If that's all, I should be heading home-"

"Hold your horses, Roswell," Serene interrupted. "What's keeping Lancer from showing up again at your house, healed by her Master? She's strong enough to ignore a boundary field. What happens then?"

"I would have a difficult battle," he answered, understating it as usual.

"...yeah, okay, let's go with that. And I'd have a pretty difficult battle if she showed up at my house when I was alone. But if we were together all the time, we'd have a better chance."

Roswell blinked. "You're inviting me to your house?"

She laughed. "No way, my house is tiny. I'm inviting myself to your house," she corrected.

"...Somehow, I always attract freeloaders..."


	52. Green: Sneaky

While Berserker chased down Lancer, Nessiah turned back to Cruz. "It should be safe to return to your home. You can stop hiding behind me now."

"Oh, right." Cruz took a few steps back. "I was wondering, though. How'd you know Lancer was the Servant of this Hector guy?"

"Process of elimination." Nessiah leaned against a nearby building. "Obviously, neither Berserker nor Rider could have that man as a Master, since I am the Master of one and have seen the Master of the other - you - in person. In addition to that, during our last meeting earlier today, you described being defeated by Caster's Master, a young woman. Afterwards, you sought refuge with the young master of Saber, who mentioned eliminating Assassin, Servant of another young woman. That leaves only Lancer and Archer. You described fighting Lancer with her Master nowhere to be found; the typical conduct for this War is accompanying one's Servant. There was still a chance that he might have summoned Archer, but the chance that he called Lancer was higher."

Cruz had been nodding as he tried to follow Nessiah's train of thought. "I've got another question. Why did you help me out?"

"Berserker insisted, actually." Nessiah smiled a little. "He said that in our first meeting, when he spoke with Rider, he could tell that she truly liked the Master who had summoned her, despite the arguments. That is enough to put you in his good graces. Besides, Lancer is a mutual enemy of ours, so there was no problem with attacking her. You simply happened to benefit."

"...He should've taught me how to tell that, I know I couldn't," Cruz grumbled.

After a few minutes, Nessiah politely asked, "May I ask why you are still here?"

"I want to know if the crazy woman with the lance has gotten killed yet so I can have a good night's sleep," Cruz replied, stretching his arms. "I'll wait."

Nessiah tsked, but made no further comment. When Berserker finally did reappear, he asked, "How was it?"

"She thinks she lost me," Berserker replied, taking off his helmet. "I know exactly where her Master is hiding."

"Excellent. We'll attack tomorrow." Nessiah looked over his shoulder. "Well?"

"Leaving now," Cruz answered quickly, not wanting Nessiah to get any more curt with him.


	53. Red: Dance Dance Revolution

Nessiah could hear the sounds of pitched battle from the floor below. He ignored them for the moment, concentrating only on the man before him.

"Hello, Nessiah." Hector sounded casual. "You look well."

"Better than I did when we parted," Nessiah agreed, gritting his teeth. "Much to your dismay."

"Actually, I was looking forward to seeing if you had grown any stronger, or if you were simply continuing to uselessly lash out at me." Hector smirked.

Nessiah saw red. His voice was low as he chanted, "_O emperor, protector of many... Victory exists under thy flag alone_."

"_Flame, drive my enemies before me._" Hector's tone was almost bored as he chanted.

The shield went up just before Hector's flames burst against it. Nessiah held his concentration until the fire subsided, then allowed the shield to stand on its own while he cast another spell. "_Blind seer, mute soothsayer... All of Fate lies in thy Cards._"

He could feel the power surrounding him, but what should have weakened Hector was quickly shut down by his Magic Resistance. He'd expected that. They traded spells for some time, neither one gaining a clear advantage.

"_O shepherd with earthly body and heavenly soul-_"

"_With the knowledge of the magi, ether burst!_"

A giant ball of crackling magical energy moved toward him. His shield shattered. Nessiah took steps away from it until his heels were over air. Hector didn't have guardrails.

Then he was swallowed up by the ball of energy, and lost his balance.


	54. Red: Past Mistakes

"That could have gone better." Gulcasa bandaged another one of Nessiah's injuries.

Nessiah scowled. "I inflicted more damage upon that man than anyone else in this entire War has," he protested.

"You also fell off a ledge a story up," Gulcasa replied.

"The people who die doing that are generally toddlers or younger."

"But not always. They did have windows in my time." Gulcasa folded his arms.

Nessiah sighed. "I am - you have my gratitude for catching me. My current state would be much worse if you had not."

"As long as you admit it, you don't need to worry about thanking me," Gulcasa answered. "Try not to do it again."

"It was not intentional on my part, Gulcasa." Nessiah tugged at the bindings around his leg. "...I could have fought him a while longer."

"You were injured from the attack, from falling, and from the spells beforehand. If Hector had attacked you like that again, that would be it." Gulcasa laid his hand on one of the bandages. "You can hate me for ruining your chance at revenge if you want, but I couldn't risk seeing you die."

"Hate you?" Nessiah's head tilted a little at the concept. "You would have to try much harder than that for me to hate you."

A small smile came to Gulcasa's face. "I don't plan to."


	55. Violet: Narcissism

Hector surveyed his home. Very little significant structural damage, even in the areas where Lancer and Berserker had been fighting. Good for long-term costs and to keep someone from realizing that there were two Servants battling here. Someone like... Ein.

As if on cue, his cell phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and checked the caller ID. Yes, of course it was him. "Hello, Ein."

"Master Hector. I just wanted to report back with you about how things were going. We ran into Lancer a few nights ago and-"

"Normally I would appreciate the report, but at the moment I need to repair some parts of my home." Had that picture frame always been crooked? He'd have to fix that. "Berserker and his Master were just here."

"Y...you were attacked? Are you okay?" Ein sounded a mix between in denial and panicked. Evidently he'd thought of his master as someone outside of the Holy Grail War and its troubles.

He disliked lying outright, but he wasn't going to admit that Nessiah had seriously wounded him. "I will be fine." After some healing spells and plenty of rest. "Do you still plan to chase solely after Lancer, knowing this?"

Ein hesitated. "If he attacked you, he attacked someone not a part of the Grail War. Technically. That makes him the same as Lancer who goes after innocents for power... If I see him, we'll fight." Too unsure for Hector's liking, but oh well.

"Good. I trust that you can manage things from here." Click.

Ein was a useful pawn. If he managed to defeat Nessiah, it would be a simple matter to dispatch him and claim the Grail himself. Even if he lost, he would drain some of Nessiah and Berserker's energy, making them easier to defeat himself.


	56. Yellow: Endless Summer

"You step outside for just one second to get the mail..." Berserker groaned, blocking an arrow with his scythe. "And Archer and her Master attack you."

"Hypocrite. I bet Master Hector was probably eating a sandwich or something-" Ein paused. "No, I can't picture him doing that or anything normal. He probably was, though. Anyway!" He muttered an ice spell under his breath, and was satisfied when Berserker winced.

Then a bolt of magic knocked him off of his feet. When he got up, he saw that the other Master had left his house.

"Go back inside," Berserker told him without looking away from Lina.

"I am perfectly capable of defending myself," his Master answered. "Particularly against fools."

"H-hey, take that back!" Ein shouted.

"No."


	57. Yellow: At Last

"Why do you want to defend that man so badly?" Berserker's Master asked idly, between spells.

Ein blinked. "He's my teacher. It's my duty to help him, that's all."

"Good. For a moment, I feared that someone might truly like him." He considered for a moment. "His Servant might. Lancer's judgement seems questionable."

Ein froze. "...Lancer is Master Hector's Servant?" he croaked.

"You didn't know?" the other Master asked.

Ein shook his head. "He told me I was his representative in the War." After a moment's pause, he turned and ordered, "Archer, come on! We're going."

"Just like that?" Lina asked, even as she dutifully ran to his side. "Maybe he's lying."

"He's not lying." He glanced back at the other Master and Servant pair before starting to walk away. "When he says 'that man', he sounds so pained that it can't be a lie."


	58. Yellow: Locket

"Ein. You've brought your Servant, I see." Hector sounded unflappable as usual, standing on the balcony of the second floor.

"Master Hector." Ein began climbing the stairs, while Lina remained below. "I had a couple of things I wanted to ask you."

"Go ahead."

Ein reached the top of the stairs. "Berserker's Master. Did you know each other before this?" he asked.

Hector nodded. "For a number of years."

"What happened between you two?" Ein pressed.

"Nothing we couldn't have avoided if he had been more cooperative." Hector folded his arms. "Will that be all?"

Ein cut to the chase. "He says Lancer is your Servant."

"You believe a stranger over your teacher of many years?" Hector asked.

"So it's not a problem if I look at your arms for a bit, right?" Ein replied, taking a few steps forward.

Hector hesitated. "..._Etherion_."

The burst of magic stopped Ein in his tracks. Below him, he could hear Lina fire an arrow, then be attacked by an unseen opponent. He sighed. "I was kinda hoping we'd do this the easy way."


	59. Violet: Paradise

Hector smirked as he threw another spell in Ein's direction. The younger mage took the hit hard, breaking his concentration and forcing him to start chanting his own spell over again. Ein's spells were relatively weak - a fire spell here, a lightning spell there - and Hector was only slightly injured by them.

Below them, Lancer was similarly dominating Archer. Really, there was no contest between them as magi. Hector knew he was by far the stronger one. He was his teacher, after all.

He started casting another spell, a fire one the same as Ein had cast earlier. He noticed Ein surging forward-

-and felt a sudden, agonizing pain in his chest.

"You always told me I was better at everything else than at spellcasting," Ein told him, and pulled out the knife.


	60. Blue: Once In A Blue Moon

They found Lancer by accident, in the middle of the park. She was sitting on a bench, watching the birds on the ground. Her head turned as they approached, but she made no move to attack.

"...hi," Serene said, reaching for a scythe that wasn't there. "Didn't expect to see you here in public. In the middle of the daytime."

"You aren't planning to fight us?" Roswell asked. She still could be planning to take them by surprise...

"What would be the point? My Master's dead, following his orders won't help him any." Lancer let out a long sigh, then snapped, "No, I don't want to contract with anyone else!"

"I wasn't planning on offering," he replied, moving to sit on the bench across from her.

"I really wasn't." Serene made Roswell scoot over and sat next to him. "Great Master, huh?"

Lancer blinked in confusion.

"You seem particularly loyal," Roswell explained.

"He was my Master. No matter what kind of Master he was, I didn't have a purpose but to follow his orders and help him."

"Sounds rough," Serene commented. "How long have you got left until you disappear?"

Lancer shrugged. "Maybe an hour. My Independent Action rank is pretty low, and it's been a while. I don't know how long I spent at my Master's house trying to pull healing magic out of nowhere."

Roswell looked at Serene. "We can keep her company in her last moments. Slowly disappearing alone is more torturous than a speedy end. She certainly doesn't deserve worse than her Master received."

"I've got nothing better to do today," Serene answered. "So, uh, Lancer... What are your biggest pet peeves? ...I'm bad at conversation starting, don't laugh at me!"


	61. Red: Ambition

"So what do we do about this thing?" Ein asked, gesturing to the giant Grail. "We can't just leave it here, it's sending everybody in town to sleep. Not to mention that it's really hard to hide."

Nessiah shrugged. "My participation in the War was an attempt to strike at that man. Now that he's gone, I have no reason to fight you. However... ordering my Servant to disappear is out of the question."

Ein nodded. "I don't blame you, I'd feel really bad about sending Archer to die too."

"...it isn't quite the same," Nessiah murmured.

"Anyway, I only joined to keep someone with a destructive wish from getting it again. If you don't have a wish, I don't have one either," Ein added.

The four of them stared at the Grail some more.

"I don't like it. Let's blow it up." Archer pronounced this firmly.

Glancing over, Nessiah asked, "Are your thoughts the same, Berserker?"

"Almost to a word." His hands went to his scythe. "Should I take care of it?"

"I want to do it!" Archer interrupted. "It might explode or something, so we should be a safe distance away."

Nessiah pulled on Gulcasa's arm. "Then by all means, do the honors."


	62. Yellow: If I Never Knew You

After shattering the Grail, Lina turned back to Ein. "So now what?"

"I... guess this is where we say goodbye," he answered. "I don't have the mana to keep you around."

"I probably wouldn't want to stay anyway." She smiled apologetically. "I like spending time with you, but the rest of the world's not interesting enough for me normally. I wanna be summoned again!"

He smiled in return. "I can't blame you for that. ...I'm really glad you were my Servant, Lina."

"You were the best Master ever," she replied, starting to grin. "Hug?"

"Yeah, hug."

Lina tackled him. "Eeee~"


	63. Red: Strawberries

Gulcasa gazed at where the Holy Grail used to be. Aside from the sounds of Archer and her Master talking, the temple grounds were silent.

Nessiah was the one to speak up first. "Stay with me. I have the necessary supply of mana to keep you as a familiar, even without the Grail. ...I never intended to grow so attached to you, I admit, but if you were to leave..." He quieted, lowering his head.

"I get it," Gulcasa replied, turning to face him with a smile. "Don't worry. I'll be there for you as long as you need me."


	64. Yellow: Sunrise

"Lina, what do you want for breakfast?" The words echoed in the empty house. Ein rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Right, she was gone. After more than a week of living with her, it was hard to get used to her absence.

Well, eventually things would go back to normal. Except that his teacher and master was an cruel evil man, and more specifically a dead cruel man. That would change some things permanently. Ein wondered how he was going to handle it.

He'd figure something out somehow. Lina would have told him to relax. His luck was good and he was determined to succeed, so how could there be any chance of failure? Silently, he thanked her.


	65. Indigo: Foreign Chocolate

Elena rocked her legs back and forth over the side of her porch, eating a bar of chocolate. It was Belgian chocolate, and she had bought the box as a special treat for herself.

Zilva had loved it. She reacted in the same reserved way that she did to everything else, but Elena could tell that she never had eaten chocolate before, or at the very least not chocolate this good. The tone of her voice when she thanked her made Elena a little weak at the knees.

Elena wanted to see what else she could find that made Zilva happy. And she'd never get the chance, now.

(She finished the bar of chocolate.)

But Zilva wanted her to be happy, even without her. There was no way Elena knew of to bring her back, but she didn't need to. There would be other people she'd want to make happy in the same way. And she wouldn't have to forget what her Servant had meant to her in order to go on with her life.


	66. Green: Elements

"Last year I got pretty good tomatoes here." Cruz inspected his garden, or where he placed it during the warmer months. "I need to get some more seeds and try that again, or maybe grow beets instead."

Heading back inside, he hung up his hat and plopped down in an easy chair. His thoughts wandered, understandably, to his ex-Servant Emilia. Despite his promise not to feel bad about her death, he couldn't help but think that he'd failed her somehow. If he had been a stronger mage, he would've been able to interfere in her fight with Serene without hurting her. If he had been a better Master-

Well, thinking like that was useless now. The War was over, she had disappeared, and she'd wanted him to be happy. Cruz would have rather dwelled on their friendly teasing and bickering than on her last moments.


	67. Blue: Wisdom

"Could you pass the chocolate sauce, please?"

"Sure thing."

After Serene handed over the sauce, Roswell applied some to his banango split. Setting it aside, he looked back over at her. "May I ask why you're still here?"

She shrugged. "It's weird not having Cie- Caster around. She was always hanging around me doing something or other. My house is pretty empty now."

"I can empathize." He took a bite out of his dessert. Delicious. "Saber's disappearance would have left me bereft of company as well, had you not invaded my home."

"Aw, you're welcome." Serene dug into her own ice cream. "Thanks for having me here."

"...I don't mind."


	68. Orange: Trust In Your Heart

"Aww, c'mon, another night wouldn't hurt," Serene complained.

Roswell sighed. "The neighbors are beginning to gossip, and I try not to let them speculate too much about my love life. Unless you'd care to ask me out, I'm afraid I have to evict you."

She considered this for a moment. "All right, nice seeing you." With a wave, she started back to her own home.

As she walked, she whistled and thought about where she was going metaphorically. With the War over, she could relax... maybe go to those parties Cierra liked so much. She didn't mind dancing for two.


	69. Red: Sensuality

The bedroom was Western-style, containing one bed and only one bed. It was a single bed, with violet sheets, and was kept in a messy state by its owner, who did not want to bother with making the bed in the morning if it was only going to be used again that night.

During the War, he had dealt with the need of his Servant to sleep by pulling out a sleeping bag and a small ocean of pillows, and that had served them well enough until after the War was over.

Nessiah, undressing, fumbled a little while Gulcasa unzipped his sleeping bag and started climbing in. After he got his shirt off, he murmured, "Gulcasa..."

"What is it?" Receiving no immediate answer, Gulcasa racked his brain for what could be the issue. Nessiah was often hard to deal with like this. "If you need to undress in private, you can always ask me to leave."

"It isn't that!" Nessiah's face flushed and he looked away. "...Come to bed."

Gulcasa blinked. "I was trying to."

"What I mean is-" Nessiah let out a frustrated sigh, walked over to Gulcasa's corner of the room, and kissed him.

"...oh. Oh." The tips of Gulcasa's ears went red. "I, uh... yes?"

Nessiah smiled.


	70. Indigo: Penguins

"Table for seven, please." Roswell smiled politely at the waitress, who smiled back and led the group to the large round table in the back. They found their seats with a minimum of debate and 'I don't want to sit next to her, she hit me with a scythe'."

"Do we all know each other?" Ein asked after the waitress had gotten their drink orders and left, looking around. "Maybe we should go around the table and introduce ourselves. And say something about ourselves..."

Serene leaned over Elena's place setting to better glare at Ein. "Are we ten?"

On Ein's other side, Nessiah spoke up. "It might not be a bad idea. Most of us were not interested in exchanging names the last time we all interacted. My name is Nessiah; I'm the technical winner of this War of ours."

"Is talking about the War in public really all right?" Elena asked.

Cruz shrugged. "They'll think we're roleplayers. As long as nobody uses any magic and Berserker here," he tapped Gulcasa on the arm, "doesn't pull out his scythe or armor, we're good to go."

Gulcasa shifted in his seat a little away from Cruz and towards Nessiah. "It looks like I'm next... I'm Gulcasa. Nessiah's Servant."

"Familiar now, actually," Nessiah pointed out. "But it doesn't make much difference, so don't mind me."

Cruz cleared his throat. "I'm Cruz - I used to be Rider's Master. I like long walks in the forest and archery."

"My name is Roswell, and I am the former Master of Saber. I enjoy necromancy, other schools of divination, and banangos." Roswell said evenly.

"My name's Serene, I was Master of Caster. ...man, there's no way to say that and sound imposing, is there?" Serene asked. "I'm a combat mage, and after this me and Gulcasa are gonna go back to somebody's house and compare scythes."

"Is that what it's called?" Cruz asked. After receiving glares from Serene, Gulcasa, and Nessiah simultaneously, he whimpered, "I didn't say anything."

Elena hastened to change the subject. "My name is Elena. Zilva - Assassin was my Servant. I have an older brother in the city, but he's not a mage."

"And that leaves me. I'm Ein, Archer was my Servant. I was Ma- Lancer's Master's student, and- Oh, our drinks are here."

After drinks were passed out and food orders were taken, Cruz spoke up again. "You know, we passed a photo booth on the way here-"

"You cannot fit seven people in a photo booth, Cruz, despite how much of a bonding experience you think it would be." Roswell sipped his iced tea.

Cruz slumped.

"I don't think we'll need it," Elena commented. "We've been through the same War together, and made it through. Since we all - most of us get along, we'll naturally grow closer to each other."

General agreement passed through the group.

"I have to admit, these are unlikely circumstances in which to forge a bond. In many Grail Wars, most of us would be dead." Nessiah looked thoughtful. "In this instance... I suppose I have no complaints."


End file.
